This invention is directed toward door locking and unlatching apparatus for a motor vehicle and particularly toward a new arrangement of powered door locking and unlatching apparatus.
Each door on a motor vehicle typically includes a latch and lock mechanism which automatically latches the door when the door is closed and includes inside and outside mechanical unlatching handles attached by mechanical links to the latch and lock mechanism for unlatching. The lock and latch mechanism further includes a locking mechanism which prevents unlatching and is operable by means of an additional mechanical link to a lock button or directly from the outside by a key. A power lock apparatus adds an electric motor for each door which is operable electrically in response to at least one switch and is linked mechanically to the lock mechanism through a lost motion link. The power locking feature is obtained by adding the necessary apparatus to the already existing traditional mechanical latch and lock mechanism and is not optimized for cost or operator convenience.